Read all about Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, plus see 30 real homes that use it!
Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore (OC-45) is an off-white shade that has plenty of rich, creamy undertones. Whether you are craving a shade to fade into the background next to a bold hue or one to add some depth to a neutral space, this shade is surprisingly versatile.
Believe it or not, white paint colors are some of the hardest paint colors to choose; each shade has tiny differences that can have huge impacts on a space.
After looking at dozens of color swatches and trying to decide between warm, cool, or neutral, as well as factoring in undertones… well, it’s enough to give anyone a massive headache!
That’s why I like to have a few tried-and-true shades of white that I can turn to whenever I find myself having a hard time choosing between white paint colors. If you were wondering, Swiss Coffee hits the mark.
So, let’s dive into this dreamy, creamy color to see if it’s right for your home.
Swiss Coffee at a Glance
- Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is a soft, creamy, off-white color that has just a bit of warmth to it.
- This color was created in 1931 by Benjamin Moore and has remained a mainstay in the line ever since, for good reason.
- Swiss Coffee’s appearance can dramatically change depending on what room you use it in. It will look more natural and creamy next to yellow undertones or gray next to cooler colors.
- The shade works equally well in traditional spaces as it does in modern, minimalistic, farmhouse, and even contemporary rooms. It also works well in art rooms or creative spaces where you want a calm background to blend and inspire.
Undertones of BM Swiss Coffee
Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is much less yellow than many other whites on the market.
However, like all off-whites, it does have some yellow, warm undertones. It’s those yellow undertones that make a white off-white, after all! But as a result, it can read as slightly yellow or gold in certain situations.
On the other hand, Swiss Coffee also has a tinge of green and brown in its base color, so the paint won’t feel too sharp or cold on your walls.
This balance between yellow, brown, and green is what makes Swiss Coffee so incredible: light but not too bright and warm and creamy without being too yellow.
Just don’t forget that Swiss Coffee CAN show off its yellow undertones from time to time, depending on the lighting and surrounding decor colors.
Make sure you use paint swatches (my favorite kind are these re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick samples from Samplize) in the areas where you’re considering this color to see exactly how it will read before you slap it up on your walls!
How Different Types of Lighting Affect BM Swiss Coffee
- North-facing light – cool, blue-tinted northern light will bring balance to Swiss Coffee’s warm undertones, making it appear clean and neutral.
- South-facing light – the warm, southern light will make Swiss Coffee appear creamier and more yellow, giving a cozy comfort to the space.
- East-facing light – with warm morning light, Swiss Coffee has a gentle creaminess, shifting to a more neutral, balanced shade in the evening.
- West-facing light – Swiss Coffee’s warm undertones will be muted in the morning light, coming to life as the afternoon sun hits.
I’m not gonna lie – choosing the PERFECT paint color isn’t as easy as seeing what you like online and simply adding it to your space. There’s an entire science behind it! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
30 Real Homes Painted Swiss Coffee
Are you ready to get to the fun part? Let’s see this color in action as I share 30 real homes using Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee paint.
Bedrooms Painted Swiss Coffee
Quick note: Don’t forget the finish! Learn all about paint sheen here.
In general, for low-traffic bedrooms, use a flat coating for a luxurious matte finish or eggshell finish for a slight sheen.
1. My own Bedroom in Swiss Coffee and Tricorn Black
We recently did a mini-makeover on our own master suite which involved adding a mural, ceiling accent with molding and paint in SW Tricorn Black, and repainting our walls in none other than BM Swiss Coffee. And I couldn’t love this paint color more.
It’s warm, but not yellow, and saturated enough that it looks like a “color” rather than plain, old white.
2. Swiss Coffee Bedroom with Vaulted Ceiling
I can’t think of a better shade of white for this bright bedroom from Becki Owens. Swiss Coffee Benjamin Moore plays very well with the wood ceiling beams, as well as the black accent pieces and pops of blue.
It’s soft and creamy enough so that it doesn’t look stark or cold. Plus, it works with the brighter shades of white in the fireplace marble, window shades, and furniture.
3. Guest Room Painted BM Swiss Coffee
In this example by Bria Hammel Interiors, you can see the range that this color has. Look at how the color changes as your eyes move from the window to the darker corner.
See the gray and brown undertones making their appearance? While they would be there anyway due to the lack of light, they’re highlighted by the nearby decor pieces.
4. Warm, Welcoming Wall Color
Hello, creamy yellow! Up until now, we haven’t seen obvious yellow undertones. But I did say that Swiss Coffee has them, so I had to show them off at least once! 😉
In this example from @boylewaybillet, the yellow is notably there, but it’s not offensive since it really reads as creamy rather than “yellow.”
It’s all about the lighting here, though, because when you scroll through the other images of this bedroom, there’s one from a different angle that doesn’t look nearly as creamy.
It’s a good reminder of how lighting impacts the way a paint shade appears – use those color swatches before you commit to a color!
5. Swiss Coffee Benjamin Moore Walls and Ceiling
This bedroom from Studio McGee definitely reads as creamy, but you don’t notice the yellow undertones as clearly as you did in the previous example.
Here, the creaminess is just enough of a shade difference to help the walls stand out against the bright white bed and linens. And it looks incredible with that wood beam on the ceiling!
6. Swiss Coffee Master Bedroom
Here’s an interesting example of Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore from @athompsonhouse. The lighting in this room definitely brings out those warmer undertones.
But it looks amazing – especially when paired with all the taupe and neutral tones in the nearby decor!
Swiss Coffee Painted Bathrooms
From spa-inspired bathrooms to kitschy designs, Swiss Coffee is your guy!
For high-humidity environments like bathrooms, try satin paint (in the middle of the sheen spectrum).
7. Benjamin Moore Board and Batten
Gorgeous! I love how creamy this off-white looks on this wallboard from Zig and Company.
The green, yellow, and black surrounding decor get to take center stage, with Swiss Coffee playing a crucial supporting role in making it happen.
8. TImeless Wall Color
Timeless is a perfect description for Swiss Coffee Benjamin Moore – and I think this bathroom from @haymondbrothersconstruction (design by in-house team: Holly Nicole and Holly Jane) is a prime example. I’m in awe of how understated yet prominent this paint color is in this very chic bathroom.
9. Shiplapped Powder Room in Swiss White
If you are dying to bring shiplap into your home (🙋♀️), one look at this guest bath from Halfway Wholeistic will probably have you running out to buy supplies today. Just go for it!
And grab some Swiss Coffee (color swatches) to add that warm, comforting vibe that shiplap demands.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Living Spaces
Neutral and slightly warm, this Swiss Coffee paint color makes a cozy addition to any living space. Use an eggshell or satin finish for optimal results.
10. Dreamy Digs
My friend Karisa couldn’t have picked a better color for her gorgeous family room, I don’t think.
Now, she didn’t use Swiss Coffee at full strength here…she went with the color mixed at 75%, so it’s a bit more light/bright here than usual, which I think complements the stone fireplace and wood beams perfectly.
11. Swiss Coffee Modern Living Space
There are few whites (or off-whites) that can bridge the gap between light and dark as well as this Swiss Coffee paint color does.
The creamy softness combined with the gray and slight brown undertones make this a go-to off-white to create a drool-worthy living room. It fits perfectly with the brown, gray, and black pops of color in this space from Wildflower Home Blog.
12. Comfortable, Relaxing Cream Paint
I love the comfortable, relaxed vibe that Swiss Coffee gives, and to me, that’s what a living room is all about. This vintage yet modern living space from @culoramegreen is the perfect example with its cozy, cool furniture pieces and warmly painted walls.
13. Cozy Built Ins Color Choice
These built-in shelves from Postcards from the Ridge are the perfect backdrop for a rich collection of books and decor. Swiss Coffee is neutral enough to let each item shine while adding more visual interest than a stark white.
Kitchens Using Swiss Coffee Paint
High-traffic areas need a finish that provides both durability and an easy-to-clean surface
Sheen note: Picking the right color is only winning the battle, not the war. Remember to pick the right paint finish, or sheen, also! Read up on what you need to know about picking the perfect paint sheen.
For kitchens, eggshell or satin are popular finish choices for walls. For cabinets consider semi-gloss or high gloss for the most durable finish (and a gorgeous glow).
14. White Painted Kitchen Cabinetry
Swiss Coffee is an ideal color for kitchen cabinets. Isn’t this color incredible with the blue-gray elements in this kitchen from Becki Owens?
15. Swiss Coffee Kitchen Walls
This kitchen at @juniper.hills.farmhouse demanded a soft creamy white, just like Swiss Coffee, to be the color that brings together the light brown wood and light gray counters and backsplash.
16. Walls, Cabinets, and Trim, Oh My!
Hi monochrome! Sincerely Marie Designs takes on the monochromatic trend by painting her kitchen in Swiss Coffee, head-to-toe! Even the base moldings get the honor.
The effect is understated and lovely.
If you want to try this trend yourself, try picking different sheens of the same shade for different elements. For example, paint the walls with a slight sheen of eggshell, pearl for the trim and window frames, and the cabinets with semi-gloss for an almost iridescent quality.
17. Kitchen Cabinets Painted BM Swiss Coffee
In rooms with lots of natural light like this one from Studio McGee, the Swiss Coffee paint color reads as a bright, creamy white.
By contrast, in rooms like this kitchen with low natural light, the color reads as even creamier. Add some brass cabinet pulls, and you have the recipe for very warm off-white cabinets.
Dining with BM Swiss Coffee
For dining rooms, opt for the sheen of your choice, depending on how much you use the space. Satin is the most popular finish for its durability and softly polished glow. It also has incredible hide power, great for less-than-perfect surfaces.
18. Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Dining Area
The dark paint on the doors needed a soft white so that the walls wouldn’t look too crisp or cold.
Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is just the paint color for the job, as shown here in this beautiful example from Blesser House.
19. Nice in a Kitchen Nook
At first glance, in this kitchen from @thehattiepine, you see the yellow undertones of the wall paint. However, if you look a little closer, the lighting and surrounding decor are pulling out a nice balance of brown undertones as well.
20. Eclectic Dining Room Swiss Coffee
Remember how I mentioned that Swiss Coffee has very slight green undertones? They come out in this beautiful room from Emily Henderson, thanks to the green trim color!
Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee Laundry & Mudrooms
Time to break out the big guns – protect your walls from bumps and scratches by choosing a semi-gloss paint finish. It’ll also give the perfect sheen to your space.
Apologies if you prefer the look of a flat finish – I wouldn’t recommend anything more matte than satin for these spaces.
21. Lovely in a Laundry Room
The gray cabinets in @houseofbluehues’ laundry room pull out the gray undertones of Swiss Coffee. The resulting effect is a clean and crisp (but not too crisp) color that’s perfect for a small room with little or no natural light.
22. Mudroom Painted Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore
Okay, hands down… I love this mudroom from Touch of Gray Blog! It doesn’t have much in the way of natural light, but that’s no problem for Swiss Coffee! It’s soft, chic, and simple.
23. Marvelous Mudroom
Woah. This space (another from @juniper.hills.farmhouse) is probably the envy of the entire neighborhood.
Thanks to the wall of windows and Swiss Coffee paint providing the perfect soft, subtle background, the outside view can be the focal point.
Swiss Coffee Exteriors
Time to call your contractor! Not just for an interior paint job, Swiss Coffee suits a wide variety of surfaces.
This shade has great depth of color, giving exteriors a fresh look and gentle warmth.
For decks and porches, remember to choose a Waterborne formula to protect your paint from the elements.
24. Home Exterior Painted in BM Swiss Coffee
As you can see in this example from @honeybeelifestyleandinteriors, Swiss Coffee is a terrific exterior color because it won’t blind anyone when the sun shines on it, and it won’t look gray and drab on a cloudy day.
25. Awesome in Outdoor Living Spaces
I’ve always wanted an outdoor fireplace (or outdoor kitchen), and this one from @gloss_interiors looks pretty dreamy and perfect – if you ask me! I love the Swiss Coffee painted brick fireplace. So cozy and cool.
26. Perfect Modern Farmhouse Exterior Paint
Swiss Coffee gives this home from Kindred Lifestyle a lovely neutral canvas. Coordinating neutral porch decor blends seamlessly for the ultimate modern farmhouse aesthetic.
27. Swiss Coffee OC-45 Outside
Swiss Coffee, like all off-whites, has undertones that surrounding colors can pull out.
Here at @the.three.oh.five, the grass highlights the green undertones of the paint on the house’s exterior. Once the sun goes down, it won’t look green anymore.
Other Spaces Painted Swiss Coffee
Swiss Coffee looks great in just about every space! Depending on your precise paint needs, it could be the perfect product for your home.
28. Sophisticated Dressing Room
Once again we’ve used Swiss Coffee here in my own home, this time in the master closet/dressing room attached to our master bedroom.
Previously, this space was painted a light blue, but I’m really happy with this change. The ceiling ring here is filled in with SW Tricorn Black.
29. Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Hallway
I love love love this hallway from Easy – Like Sunday Morning (link removed as site is no longer active). It’s light, soft, creamy, comfortable, and airy. Swiss Coffee for the win!
30. Light and Airy Home Office Paint
This home office shows Swiss Coffee in its chicest glory, appearing clean and energizing.
Kaitlyn H. Parker keeps the room comfortable yet elevated, pairing these neutral walls with minimal black accents and wood tones.
31. Airy Hallway
Karisa of @petitemodernlife went with Swiss Coffee in this hallway, coupled with Balboa Mist on her doors, and I’m loving the combo.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs Other Colors
Love this color but something isn’t quite right? These paint colors are close to Swiss Coffee with a few tweaks that you may prefer!
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs White Dove
Both of these colors are in the Benjamin Moore off-white collection and are actually very similar colors. Both will work well in rooms with low natural light.
Benjamin Moore White Dove is a little lighter with an LRV of 85.38 and has weaker yellow undertones. It reads as a brighter white that’s still warm, whereas Swiss Coffee reads as creamier.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs Chantilly Lace
Since Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 83.93, it’s a bit darker than Chantilly Lace, which is 92.2 on the LRV scale. There’s a limit as to how bright I’ll go with white paint, and Chantilly Lace is just about at that line.
With its slightly green undertones, it reads as brighter and less creamy than Swiss Coffee does.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs Linen White
With an LRV of 82.9, BM Linen White is nearly as bright as Swiss Coffee but reads as way more yellow.
Since yellow tends to turn people away, Swiss Coffee is often much more popular than Linen White because it feels like a warm white without so much of the yellow undertone poking through (most of the time).
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee OC-45 vs Simply White
Simply White was Ben Moore’s Color of the Year in 2016, and it has been a very popular shade ever since.
Very light and bright with an LRV of 91.7, Simply White is often used not only as a wall color, but for ceilings and trim details as well.
Both shades have warm yellow (and some green) undertones, but Swiss Coffee, with its LRV of 83.93 and some brown hues, shows up on walls as darker and richer than Simply White. Not muddy, but just not as bright as Simply White.
Navajo White is another Ben Moore off-white, but more tinted with an LRV of 79.88, and more creamy and beige-y than Swiss Coffee, and can read even a bit orange in warm artificial or natural light.
All in all, if you’re looking for a warm, rich (but not dark) traditional, even elegant off-white, definitely give Navajo White some more consideration, too.
LRV of Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore (OC-45)
Let’s get into the numerical specifics of Swiss Coffee paint. I’m a numbers gal because they provide an objective means for evaluation to aid the very subjective method of simply looking at paint.
Swiss Coffee LRV = 83.93.
LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value: It’s a numerical value between 0 and 100 that indicates how much light a shade reflects. Zero represents pure black (because it doesn’t reflect light), while 100 represents pure white (because it reflects the greatest amount of light).
Lighter paint shades REFLECT more light from them, which means they have a HIGHER LRV. The opposite is true for darker shades.
Take a look at Swiss Coffee next to a swatch of pure white:
With an LRV just under 84, Swiss Coffee reflects a lot of light. In fact, it’s so light that it would easily fall into the white category, but its yellow undertones make it a pleasant (and light) off-white.
LRV…what? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
FAQs About Swiss Coffee
Where should I use BM Swiss Coffee?
Swiss Coffee works best in areas where you want some color – but not too much.
Its warm, neutral nature makes this paint one of my top choices for living rooms and bedrooms because its creamy white quality lets Swiss Coffee blend into your room without being a focal point.
It also works well in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, entryways, laundry rooms, and exteriors.
In other words, this color looks amazing almost anywhere!
Swiss Coffee paint is timeless for a reason and will always be in style. It is easy to pair with newer trends and is an obvious choice for many different settings, styles, and nearby colors.
What is the best formula of Ben paint?
Before you add to cart, take a minute to consider the formula. In the world of premium paint, Benjamin Moore provides high-quality formulas, though product details can have some pretty glaring differences.
To experience premium performance, Benjamin Moore Regal Select Paint and Benjamin Moore Aura Paint are the top contenders.
Regal paint comes in more finishes. It’s also washable and stain-resistant, giving you the perfect introduction to BM paint.
Aura paint is the highest-quality paint, providing a beautiful uniform color in fewer coats than the standard formula. Its application method is easy and spatter-resistant, using the latest technology.
It also has excellent hiding power, no matter the condition of the wall. It’s a great product for high-traffic areas because it can be scrubbed without damaging the paint (take that, mess!). 
Ready to take your walls to the spa? Benjamin Moore paint comes in a range of high-end finishes, though they’re not all equal.
Satin and gloss finishes are both easy to clean, requiring minimal washing with just a bit of soap.
Sorry to those who prefer the look of a matte finish: matte or flat paint isn’t as durable to wash and can be damaged by even gentle scrubbing.
Before you purchase a gallon (or ten) of Swiss Coffee, you’ll need to do a bit of math. Don’t worry, this online calculator does the hard part.
To use it, simply input the height and length of each wall to calculate the total wall area (length x width = square feet). These calculations will give you a rough estimate of the amount of wall paint you’ll need.
This tool is super handy because it also takes into account windows and doors, subtracting them from the actual amount of wall area.
If you’re painting multiple rooms, add up the total square footage of the area.
Do note that the number of gallons is only an estimate and will depend on the application method and amount of paint coverage needed (this tool accounts for 2 coats of paint for beautiful results!).
While the base color and LRV between these shades are both close, the difference lies in the undertones.
Swiss Coffee has distinctly warm undertones of yellow and green. Alabaster is more cool-toned, with grey and beige undertones.
Great Coordinating Colors of BM Swiss Coffee
Since Swiss Coffee is a warm white, it works better with many of the most common paint colors people select throughout a house (black, gray, beige, and earthy colors) than many cool whites do. Swiss Coffee recreates the warmth of cream in paint form.
Subtle brown undertones add depth and richness to the white while still keeping it neutral. It will look beautiful when paired with darker colors such as greens, blues, browns, dark grays, and beiges. Try it with your favorite muted colors, and prepare to be amazed!
It also looks great with bolder, richer hues like orange, turquoise, and leaf green.
Even though Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is very versatile, it’s not universal. Thanks to its warm, creamy, earthy undertones, I would avoid pairing it with cool whites or greiges with purple-pink undertones.
Here’s a list of specific colors that would look great with Swiss Coffee:
- White Dove (Benjamin Moore)
- Lush (Benjamin Moore)
- Fossil (Benjamin Moore)
- Newburg Green (Benjamin Moore)
- Newt Green (Benjamin Moore)
- Baby Turtle (Benjamin Moore)
- White Drifts (Benjamin Moore)
- Flowering Herbs (Benjamin Moore)
- Storm (Benjamin Moore)
- Holiday Turquoise (Sherwin Williams)
- Senora Gray (Benjamin Moore)
- Nightfall (Benjamin Moore)
- Beach Glass (Benjamin Moore)
- Sagebrush (Benjamin Moore)
Are you already feeling a little lost? Let me help you get back on track. Grab a free copy of my guide to help you avoid the same paint color picking mistakes most people always make!
BM Swiss Coffee Recap
Are you feeling the love for Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee yet?
This off-white paint color is so versatile and its creamy nature works well in many different decor styles and lighting situations. If you’re looking for a soft off-white that isn’t too yellow, check out Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore.
Remember it’s always better to sample than be sorry!
More Paint Colors To Consider
- Super White (Benjamin Moore) – a bright, crisp, neutral shade of white
- Cloud White (Benjamin Moore) – a versatile, warm, creamy white with understated undertones
- Decorator’s White (Benjamin Moore) – a bright, neutral, slightly cool white with slight gray-blue undertones
- Pure White (Sherwin Williams) – warm white that can lean slightly greige
- Snowbound (Sherwin Williams) – a slightly cool, yet very livable, white
- Dover White (Sherwin Williams) – a warm, creamy off-white
- Alabaster (Sherwin Williams) – one of the lightest greiges available
- Alpaca (Sherwin Williams) – a chameleon gray/greige with violet undertones
- Manchester Tan (Benjamin Moore) – a darker, richer beige to near brown
- Dove Wing (Benjamin Moore) – a light off-white paint with gray undertones
And if this is a color you’re seriously considering, remember paint-sampling is better than ending up paint-sorry! I highly recommend these peel and stick samples because they are inexpensive, re-usable and re-positionable…
Pin this paint color for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if they want to try this color, too!
Pssst…before you go, I sure would love to hang out with you again really soon! And before you’re on your way, make sure you grab your free copy of the 5 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Picking Paint, so you can avoid the heartache (and hole in your wallet) when your paint choices don’t quite work out! Click here, and I’ll send your free copy right now!
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